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Robert Donnell Bone (1832-1892) was born in Wilson County, Tennessee, and came to Nacogdoches County in 1841 with his mother and stepfather. He and his brothers and sister moved in with his older sister when she married John Winstead Paine in 1846. After a serious illness of pneumonia, R. D. Bone rode horseback to Tennessee and entered the University at Nashville Medical School (which later became Vanderbilt University) in 1854 and returned to Douglass, Texas, to practice medicine after graduating in 1858. That same year he married Griselda Minerva Burk (1841-1912) who was also from Tennessee and had moved to Nacogdoches County, Texas, with her family in 1848. On November 25, 1861, Dr. Bone was appointed to serve as Assistant Surgeon of the 12th Texas Volunteer Infantry, Col. Overton Young's Regiment at Camp Hebert, Hempstead, Austin County, Texas. He felt it was his duty to serve the cause of the Confederacy and eagerly attended his post. As revealed in the following letters exchanged with his wife while on active duty in the Civil War, it soon became clear that he would have to contend with inadequate provisions, boring camp routine and confusing orders. "The Fever", dysentery, measles and exposure were Dr. Bone's patients' main medical problems; his regiment was not involved in any serious fighting. When he resigned his commission on March 7, 1863, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he went back to Douglass, Texas, to practice medicine. Dr. Bone also bought cotton and cattle and took them to New Orleans each fall to be sold. Minerva was Post Mistress in Douglass from 1866-1867. Only six of the Bone's 12 children reached adulthood, and two of their sons graduated from the University at Nashville Medical School exactly 50 years after Dr. Bone did. At least eight of his descendants have followed him in serving the medical profession. (Aiken, Roy L. (Pete). "Bone Family." In Nacogdoches County Families, 172. Dallas, Tx.: Curtis Media Corporation, 1985.)

Scope and Content Note

Included in the collection of letters between Dr. Bone and Minerva are letters to the Bones from family and friends, report forms from the post office at Douglass, and two poems (probably written by Dr. Bone). Typescripts for most of the papers in the collection are in a booklet in Box 2. Several 19th century newspapers belonging to Dr. Bone are cataloged and shelved with the newspaper bundles.

Dec the 23 1860
State of Texas Nacogdoches Co
Dr. Bone
I received your letter yesterday, which was Sunday, which was enclosed in Frances’ letter. Ma brought it to me; she went back home yesterday. She is a good Ma to me and our little boys. I love her for her kind attention to me and I love her because she is your Ma. I was treated as a daughter or sister at Seney’s and I love them for it. I never could [have] been treated better at home or abroad. I felt almost full enough to cry a little when Ma started home yesterday. I am over at Samantha’s today. Pa has gone to Linflat today to see about those instruments. We have not got any meat yet, there is one or two [that] have promised a little, if they could get their hogs. I have not heard from Uncle John yet [about] what he has done. Mr. Mase has brought what corn he promised, and that is all [we] have got since you left. Our house is like you left it. Pa and Sam say they are going to see about getting plank, and tend to some other business.
I could mention all of our kinfolks is well as far as I know of, except Pa and Ma, and your Ma is poorly and looks bad, but [is] up and going. Watson says he is going to write Pa a letter, that’s what he says to his Ma.
Watson and Sissy have it up and down about our little boy. Watson says he is his buddy and Sissy says he is her buddy, and here they have it. Oh honey, I wish you were here to see them; it would make you laugh. Oh honey, we have two of the prettiest and sweetest little boys I ever seen. Pa, our little boy is a pretty and sweet little boy. he weighs 12 pounds. Your name will do for him, I reckon. He has a head full of hair. I wish I could send him out to you in a letter, so you could see him. I will go out home and see our things in few days, and gather up your things and send to you, if I can. Sam has got two of your gowns, and Pa the other. I have gathered up the most of your things and put them away. I am uneasy about home when I am away, but they are fixed as good as I know how without [having] some boxes to put them away in, and [I] had one room finished. I want it fixed that way if [I]stay at Pa’s, I may stay at home if I can. Lihugh is taking of coming here if he can Ma got a letter from him not long a go [sic] and tha [sic] want you to take Louvica Jane. That was Lottie’s request, if the children had to be separated. Ma wrote to him to come if he did not stay longer than one year.
My Dear love I want you to write to me often, for I love to read your sweet letters. I read them over and over and again. Every time I read them over they are new, and there is something [that] sounds sweet like you. Oh how precious your letters are to me. Pa, take good care of yourself and don’t get sick. Pray to the Good Lord to give you good health and to take good care of [you] until you can come home, and Ma will do the same for you and our little ones. Ma and little Watson had a chill the other day, but are well now, except one of my breasts has a rising on it. It is right painful now. I reckon it needs opening now. I wish you were here to do it. I will get that cloth at Whitakers if we can; if I do get it, [I] must I make it before I make your mixed suit. Write to me about it, which you want first. I don’t do anything now worth a naming, but tend to my breast and little boys. I did mighty well until my breast got sore. Ma sends her best respects [to] you. Warren is killing meat today, [he] killed six hogs double fat.
Pa, Christmas gift: Pa, come home as soon as you can, for it seems like you have been gone a long time. This will go by mail or with the wagons. I don’t know [when] they are going [to] start. God bless Pa and Ma, and our little boys, till we all meet again. Goodbye honey, for you are my all. G.M. Bone

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